With a previous article We reproduced a survey from the company Valve (Actually the survey was a translation error because it is actually an automatic compilation) about the preferred platforms for Linuxers to play on. Now we will see the similarities and differences between the two most popular: SteamOS and Arch Linux.
There are days when one should not go near the keyboard, I had a record of two blunders, one in each article I published yesterday. Of course, in what concerns us in this article, the blame is shared with Google and the ChatGPT Bing pairing. SteamOS is no longer based on Debian, it is now based on Arch Linux
Similarities and differences between SteamOS and Arch Linux
Although Arch Linux is the basis of SteamOS, there are many differences between the two distributions. Much more than those that exist, for example, between Arch Linux and Manjaro.
Some of them are:
The package manager
Although repositories change, derived distributions often use the same package manager as the original distribution. or at most they develop their own graphical interface to mediate between it and the user. Arch Linux has Pacman, a package manager that connects to the official and community repositories and handles installations, updates, and uninstalls.
However, Valve does not allow you to use it and while this ban can be temporarily disabled, this is lifted with each update.
Another restriction is that SteamOS uses the Flatpak format as its preferred format for installing apps. if for any reason If you prefer Snap, those who have tried say that installing the necessary packages is quite a complex process.
Alternative repositories
One of the most interesting features of Arch Linux is that those packages that for some reason cannot be found in the official repositories, You will find them in the AUR repositories (Repositories maintained by the community).
As in the points mentioned above, SteamOS does not allow access to AUR repositories, unless you disable read-only mode, add the repositories, and install the desired packages. This procedure must be repeated every time there is an official update.
Personalization.
When Neal Stephenson compared Linux to a car that they give you the parts and tools to put it together, he might as well be talking about Arch Linux.
During the installation of Arch Linux you have absolute freedom to choose the different components including graphical server, window manager, audio server and desktop environment.
Since SteamOS has a different approach it is natural that it does not allow the same customization. Its goal is to provide a consistent experience with the Steam Deck console and is primarily aimed at users who just want to take the machine out of the box, download their games, and get playing.
Stability
That SteamOS has so many restrictions is not a capricious decision. The developers at Valve chose Arch Linux for the advantages it gave them to build the operating system they wanted, not to allow the user to build it.
Bearing in mind that your target audience is gamers rather than linuxers (And, in most cases, they are not even linuxers) It makes all the sense in the world that they don't want people messing around like a sorcerer's apprentice.
In fact, when Valve releases an update it releases it as a whole set of the operating system. and not partially like most Linux distributions.
This makes your system less prone to errors.
And, anyway, only one command separates us from making (at least temporarily) the changes we want.
sudo steamos-readonly disable
However, it is always possible to install Arch Linux, any other Linux distribution, or even Windows on the Steam Deck. That's something any linuxer worth the name would do, just because they can do it.
Since most Steam Deck buyers do not, it shows that it is not a product aimed at the Linux audience.